Fittin upright fridge

[Sprinter 1 cup]

Hi guys looking to fit fridge but can't find a way to anchor the thing down, as it will have beer in it.
Is there a bracket for the bottom that I can buy.?
TIA

 

[Squiffy]

Usually the fridge would sit in between two cupboards or at least between two upright dividers, then screwed through the two plastic bungs (Once removed) on each side of the fridge, you can see these bungs when the door is fully open on each side top and bottom. Phil

This is my set up you can clearly see in the second shot the plastic bungs which hide the screws

 

[SquirrellCook]

That's better than a couple of big wood screws though the bottom of the fridge.

 

[RV2MAX]

I fitted a small plank with holes bored to fit feet in , then above top of fridge fitted closing piece that stopped the fridge from getting out of the holes vertically . If that can be visualised ?

 

[wildebus]

Domestic fridges don't have the side-holes of course (and who knows what you might screw into if you made your own!?).
On mine, at the bottom I used a pair of Renogy Z Brackets, which are designed for solar panel fixing, with some slight adjustments.

And at the top, a pair of heavy duty L Brackets secured into the Fridge top with VHB and short self-tappers

 

[Squiffy]

Domestic fridges don't have the side-holes of course (and who knows what you might screw into if you made your own!?).
On mine, at the bottom I used a pair of Renogy Z Brackets, which are designed for solar panel fixing, with some slight adjustments.
View attachment 4562

And at the top, a pair of heavy duty L Brackets secured into the Fridge top with VHB and short self-tappers
View attachment 4563

True Dave but in his photos it clearly shows the blanking caps over the fitting holes. Phil

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

It's going between end boards but its not not going to move front to back untill I stop and then colette seat belt will stop it hitting the windscreen , lol .as I want it the end board as thin as possible like 3mm.
I thought the fridge would bolt fix to the floor ?

 

[wildebus]

True Dave but in his photos it clearly shows the blanking caps over the fitting holes. Phil

I know. I saw them very clearly as well.

My post was to show how I secured my DOMESTIC fridge - as it does not have those fitting holes that a CAMPERVAN/MOTORHOME fridge (like 1 cups) does.
(other people will read this thread looking to see if there are any suggestions on how to secure both types of fridges)

 

[Squiffy]

I know. I saw them very clearly as well.

My post was to show how I secured my DOMESTIC fridge - as it does not have those fitting holes that a CAMPERVAN/MOTORHOME fridge (like 1 cups) does.
(other people will read this thread looking to see if there are any suggestions on how to secure both types of fridges)

Sorry mate, just that sprinter was asking how to fit (his) fridge and it was obvious to those that know that there are blanking plugs over screw holes. But yes others might indeed be fitting domestic fridges. Phil

P.s. The way you have fitted your domestic fridge of course could be used to fit an RV style fridge

 

[Squiffy]

I know. I saw them very clearly as well.

My post was to show how I secured my DOMESTIC fridge - as it does not have those fitting holes that a CAMPERVAN/MOTORHOME fridge (like 1 cups) does.
(other people will read this thread looking to see if there are any suggestions on how to secure both types of fridges)

As a matter of interest Dave as my sister in law has bought a Mercedes Vito, that has a Domestic fridge fitted run off an inverter that simply kills the liesure battery in hours even when the fridge is set at lowest temperature and has a very efficient 100watt solar panel. What domestic fridge do you have fitted and what size of battery and solar wattage are you using. The make up of her conversion means that a three way fridge is out of the question. Phil

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

So guys there are no anchor plates for floor fitting a fridge?, only rised ? Like for on a shelf.

Another job that will now need to be engaged. To make it crash proof.

 

[wildebus]

As a matter of interest Dave as my sister in law has bought a Mercedes Vito, that has a Domestic fridge fitted run off an inverter that simply kills the liesure battery in hours even when the fridge is set at lowest temperature and has a very efficient 100watt solar panel. What domestic fridge do you have fitted and what size of battery and solar wattage are you using. The make up of her conversion means that a three way fridge is out of the question. Phil

There are lots of highly unsuitable domestic fridges. It must be a Compressor version at the very minimum (those "bar fridges" are no good).
Ideally you want an A+++ or an A++ rating , but having said, my current fridge is just an A+ and I am truely amazed how economical it is for a Fridge/Freezer.
(word of note - the rating system is just changing to allow new products better than A+++ to be recognised and you will see old and new numbers quoted. Check if the rating of the Fridge being looked at is on the new or old system!)

PS. Unless you really want/need a Freezer, a straight Fridge will generally use half the power (I wanted a Freezer and have the battery bank to support that).

IMO, to run a compressor fridge comfortably, you need 100Ah of usable power (so 200Ah of lead, 100 of Lithium) to give you capacity for the fridge and using the camper normally (TV, lights, etc).
In the summer with decent weather, 100W of solar should give more than enough charge to compensate for the fridge.

When I did shows it would be Friday to Sunday off-grid - In the T5 I had a 12 Compressor Fridge, 200Ah of Lead AGM and 200W of Solar. I used to use a portable Induction hob during the day to make tea or soup to use the solar as the batteries would be fully recharged by 10 or 11 AM despite the fridge being fitted, lights used, etc, (I don't believe in switching off the fridge over night to save power - if you need to do that, your setup is wrong).

Right now I have an LEC T5039 135L Fridge/Freezer. It would be too large for a VITO though.
The previous Camper I fitted the Inventor 93L Fridge. TBH I think that could be too large as well. There is an Inventor 45L fridge with the same compressor and which is the same size as the popular Weaco CR 50 fridge. Both those fridges are very economical.

To give you an idea of power use, this is the SOC chart for my van for the last 12 hours where solar didn't figure
SOC went from 40% to 15% - a use of about 25Ah out of this 100Ah battery

But I have a fair bit of general power draw .... this is the same time range a few days earlier when the fridge was switched off ...
Start at 93% and end at 74% - a use of 19Ah

So on those numbers, My A+ rated Fridge/Freezer is using 12Ah ((25Ah - 19Ah)*2 for 24 hours) per day INCLUDING the inverter overhead. You can see the solar is doing nothing of note in the 12 hours of graphing shown.
(I don't know how it is so low, but it is - and the Fridge is down to 5C and the Freezer -20C, so being driven correctly.)

 

[Squiffy]

There are lots of highly unsuitable domestic fridges. It must be a Compressor version at the very minimum (those "bar fridges" are no good).
Ideally you want an A+++ or an A++ rating , but having said, my current fridge is just an A+ and I am truely amazed how economical it is for a Fridge/Freezer.
(word of note - the rating system is just changing to allow new products better than A+++ to be recognised and you will see old and new numbers quoted. Check if the rating of the Fridge being looked at is on the new or old system!)

PS. Unless you really want/need a Freezer, a straight Fridge will generally use half the power (I wanted a Freezer and have the battery bank to support that).

IMO, to run a compressor fridge comfortably, you need 100Ah of usable power (so 200Ah of lead, 100 of Lithium) to give you capacity for the fridge and using the camper normally (TV, lights, etc).
In the summer with decent weather, 100W of solar should give more than enough charge to compensate for the fridge.

When I did shows it would be Friday to Sunday off-grid - In the T5 I had a 12 Compressor Fridge, 200Ah of Lead AGM and 200W of Solar. I used to use a portable Induction hob during the day to make tea or soup to use the solar as the batteries would be fully recharged by 10 or 11 AM despite the fridge being fitted, lights used, etc, (I don't believe in switching off the fridge over night to save power - if you need to do that, your setup is wrong).

Right now I have an LEC T5039 135L Fridge/Freezer. It would be too large for a VITO though.
The previous Camper I fitted the Inventor 93L Fridge. TBH I think that could be too large as well. There is an Inventor 45L fridge with the same compressor and which is the same size as the popular Weaco CR 50 fridge. Both those fridges are very economical.

To give you an idea of power use, this is the SOC chart for my van for the last 12 hours where solar didn't figure
SOC went from 40% to 15% - a use of about 25Ah out of this 100Ah battery
View attachment 4564

But I have a fair bit of general power draw .... this is the same time range a few days earlier when the fridge was switched off ...
Start at 93% and end at 74% - a use of 19Ah
View attachment 4565
So on those numbers, My A+ rated Fridge/Freezer is using 12Ah ((25Ah - 19Ah)*2 for 24 hours) per day INCLUDING the inverter overhead. You can see the solar is doing nothing of note in the 12 hours of graphing shown.
(I don't know how it is so low, but it is - and the Fridge is down to 5C and the Freezer -20C, so being driven correctly.)

Thanks Dave very informative

 

[Squiffy]

So guys there are no anchor plates for floor fitting a fridge?, only rised ? Like for on a shelf.

Another job that will now need to be engaged. To make it crash proof.

There is always a way Sprinter, nothing in a conversion in my opinion is crash proof in any case, only variations of, if you have a sudden stop at anything over 25 miles an hour very little is going to stop movement of heavy items. I would say that it might be possible to fit heavy duty L brackets at the base hidden by wood work of some kind. Phil

I once watched a video of crash testing coach built motorhomes and I tell you now if you saw it you would definitely not have a coach built. At the time I had a Swift Sundance 630L and it really focused the mind when negotiating mountain passes etc

 

[SquirrellCook]

My nightly overhead on the 220Ahr batteries is around 30Ahr. The fridge is on all the time. Some lighting will be used and phone/pad charging.
If you are low on battery capacity, don't forget to start chilling the fridge before hand on mains for a good few hours. That should help with fridge time.

 

[st3v3]

These places all look like somewhere you could screw through, but it's difficult to tell from the pics.

 

[trevskoda]

A strip of ally angle from the side cupboards/ or top bottom, just edging into the fridge door shut will hold it firm and some rubber stops/blocks at the back.

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

So emailed dometic and a guy called Greg called back. very positive call . He will call back after talking to someone, as they make floor fitting for other products. Mite be a plate, mite be a cradle !.
But only 4 racks 2 metal inside, 2 plastic for door ! But will sell me a third plastice one for top of door.

But no fittings for this fridge included ! Electrical or washers for side dimples.

So waiting game..
I'm wondering ! What will that tray cost?.

 

[Sprinter 1 cup]

Just spoke to John at demetic. German's on holiday This week . So going to try this way he thinks that will work. So will put 2 angle brackets 200mm at front sides + strap it down from compressor frame at the back!
So should hang there , in an upside down world. .?